Faults:

Windshield broken by a small stone.

Tires broke a belt.

Ignition system charging problem.

Starter failure.

Battery failure.

Leaky weatherstripping.

Broken seat lever.

Bad ball joint.

General Comments:

This car is built cheap and runs fast.

Good gas mileage, but it does not offset the high cost of ownership involved with this car. Have had nothing but problems, and has left my family stranded before.

Interior materials are of low quality, and the car's appearance is boxy and dull.

Torque steer is unreal.

When I traded the car, it was beginning to overheat in 60 degree temps.

I am a mechanic and I personally would not ever consider buying this model ever again. Resale value very weak.

Too many lows and very few highs.

Faults:

I have had to replace the power steering. It will lock up while driving. It is an electric power steering, and so if you shut it off and turn it back on, it will be fine. I feared driving it while this happened because I had no idea when it would lock up.

Have also replaced the steering column 3 times and am looking to replace it again! Thank goodness it is still under the extended warranty, but the dealership can't seem to fix it.

The CD player had to be replaced. Wouldn't play any CDs, and wouldn't spit out my CDs that were already in there.

The buttons on the steering will had to all be fixed. The buttons quit working, ie volume, seek, mute, etc.

I love the car, but if I didn't have the extended warranty, I would think I got a lemon.

Faults:

ABS module failed; replaced under warranty by dealer.

Steering column bearing replaced, also under warranty.

Rotors were warped at 35K, but I attribute that to the previous owner, not the car.

General Comments:

This Malibu is definitely a step up from the old one (I also had a 2000) in every way: better fit/finish, more powerful engine, bucket front seats (thank God), and my personal favorite, highly improved suspension.

The Malibu's very big inside, even by my standards (I'm 6'1, 220 pounds), though I wish Chevy hadn't sacrificed a traditional e-brake for the center console... makes it hard to have fun in the rain.

Despite the aforementioned suspension improvements...205/15/65R?! Seriously? Come on, why didn't you give us 215/17/55 like Mazda did with the 6? It could've really been a favorite for younger people like myself.

It's an understated car (i.e. an old person's car), so I don't get a lot of respect for driving it, especially since I used to have a potential rice rocket ('04 Corolla)...but that thing was so uncomfortable that I was tired after 20 minutes of driving.

Fuel Economy: I get about 18-19MPG on NYC streets, which isn't terrible for the displacement. It's reconciled by my frequent 31MPG highway though - a great, comfortable cruiser.

Interior: Well, it is boring... and the materials weren't as good as the plastics in my '04 Corolla... but '06 Chevy models and up are looking fantastic.

Will I buy another Chevy? Sure. I'd love a Cobalt SS (turbo, no SC), but realistically I'm looking for '06-'08 coupes.

Faults:

Car has been amazing, my only problem was hard cranking with hot engine.

But I happen to go to school for GM, and we just fixed that problem a few minutes ago with a Tech 2 diagnostic tool.

General Comments:

The car is absolutely amazing, I never envisioned myself driving a Malibu until I found the LS model at a dealership, I fell in love with it instantly.

The car has a sleek style to it, she runs like a dream, picks up acceleration amazingly when I switch down into second gear in the manual overdrive.

Gas mileage has been amazing, I went from a gas guzzling 98 Ranger which I got a max of 16mpg on the highway, to a Malibu which reaches over 35mpg.

The comfort of the car is amazing.

There is an amazing amount of leg and head room, a lot of my friends are in the 6'4" area and they can fit in the front seat and back seat with ease.

The controls are easy to understand, but don't look basic.

The factory sound system in this car is phenomenal, to most that is the least of their worry, but driving 40 miles to school every morning at 6am, the loud/clear system really helps to keep me awake.

I recommend this car to anyone seeking a vehicle for commuting, or for families.

The 2004 Malibu is is an all-around amazing car, its mpg is almost that of a Camry, just made with a more badass engine.